TIL a slightly damp charcoal forge fire burns way hotter than bone dry stuff

I've always kept my charcoal in a sealed tub in the shop, thinking moisture was the enemy. Last Saturday I ran out and grabbed a bag that had been sitting open under a tarp for 3 days after some rain. Loaded it up and the fire was hitting welding temps in about 5 minutes faster than usual, and the heat held steady for a solid hour on one charge. Turns out a little moisture makes the coal gasify quicker or something according to the old timer at the scrap yard. Has anyone else noticed this trick with charcoal or do you stick to keeping it bone dry?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_wade8d ago

Man, I used to be the same way - kept my stuff sealed up tight thinking dry was the only way to go. This post honestly makes me want to try running a batch with some damp charcoal next time I fire up.

west.casey8d ago

Left a bag of damp coals out once and the neighbor's cat wouldn't stop staring at the grill for three days.

mark_ward8d ago

Well I'll be darned, that tracks with what I've seen too. I keep a few buckets of charcoal in the corner of my shop and one of them got a little damp from a leaky roof last winter. Fired it up on a cold morning expecting a struggle and that stuff caught fast and held a wild hot flame way longer than my dry bags ever do. Something about the steam kicking off helps break down the gases faster I guess. @west.casey your cat probably knew something we didn't, animals are weird like that with heat. My advice is don't soak it on purpose but a little moisture from sitting out under cover is actually a solid shortcut. Just make sure you're not breathing in the smoke right at startup because it can be a little extra harsh with wet coal.